If you are like us, you are certainly making the best of this great summer season with your friends and family. With all of the outdoor fun and family events, how could you not enjoy this time of year?

One thing we certainly don’t like very much, however, is the increase in bugs and bug bites. While many bugs are merely nuisances, they can be frustrating to deal with if you get bitten or stung.

Our AFC Urgent Care Fountain City team explains more about bugs and what bites to watch out for below, so read on to learn more.

Do Tick Bites Hurt?

Ticks can be found at any point in the year in the Knoxville area, but they are much more prevalent in the summer season. Even though they are everywhere right now, they can be really hard to track down because you can’t really feel them on your skin. In addition, their saliva contains a numbing agent that will help them avoid detection while they are embedding themselves into your skin.

If you discover a tick bite, chances are that it will be obvious because there will be a tick in your skin. The area around it will probably be red and a bit irritated. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible, as ticks that are carrying Lyme disease need to be attached to you for at least 36 hours to make you sick.

Proper Tick Removal

• Use a clean tweezers and pull slowly and steadily away from the skin.
• Do not twist as you pull.
• Take a picture of the tick.
• Dispose in the garbage in a piece of tape or flush in the toilet.
• Wash your hands and the bite site thoroughly.

What Does a Mosquito Bite Feel Like?

Mosquito bites are often much more obvious right away as the bite is painful and feels like a quick sting. However, it is not actually a sting. The mosquito is piercing your skin to get at your blood, and you will most likely feel that sensation right away. Mosquito bites appear red, raised and itchy. In the vast majority of cases, mosquito bites will fade in a day or two.

Bee and wasp stings are a different story. If you get stung by something, quickly try to remove yourself from the area and inspect the sting site. A sting reaction will appear quickly and your skin will most likely turn red, become swollen or inflamed and it can really hurt! If you aren’t sure what stung you or if this is the first time you have been stung by a particular insect, keep a really close eye on how you feel. Allergic reactions can appear suddenly and can become medical emergencies in minutes.

Signs of a Medical Emergency After a Sting

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• The appearance of hives or flushed skin
• Loss of consciousness or fainting

If you are ever worried about an animal or insect bite, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City.